Mike13

This looks pretty good: https://www.minidisc.com.au/head-phones/open-headphones?manufacturer=224

@08Boss302 I would buy a Node 2 from the classifieds if that’s the path you choose. About $550 these days. Same DAC as the Node 2i. The other differences may not be worth the extra cash. Also convenient is an Apple TV, Apple wi-fi extender or Chomecast. Much cheaper than the Node 2. What’s the rest of your set up? No point spending $1k on the new bluesound if the rest doesn’t stack up (or if you will upgrade over time). The amount of time learning about this stuff can be all consuming. It’s probably not worth the time spent.

Hell yes they make a difference. And I’m not good at being able to pick differences. @Sime V2 I heard a difference with your old Chord 2 Qute. (Which, you may like to know, I sold to the OP after buying a Qutest 🤣- @cambam007 did you end up replacing it with something?). Had 2Qute hooked up to a Node 2 and then an SMS 200. The SMS 200 was way better, though it is at the opposite end of the scale to the Node 2 for user friendliness and interface (unless you just use the SMS 200 for Roon, in which case it is okay, except switching between Roon and Tidal is annoying). Side by side with the SMS-200 Ultra, the Ultra is better. Compared those two with a Lumin T1 and I thought both SMS’s were better. Compared all of those with a $500 NUC running Audio Linux, and for me this was slightly better than the SMS Ultra. (I had all of these on hand for testing). (Disclaimer: I think all of these are streamers - maybe the NUC isn’t, but it does the same thing.)

For room measurement it measures the mains and speakers separately.

Does anyone know if non windows/Mac based steamers are compatible with DEQX through USB? My SOtM SMS 200 only has a USB out. The DEQX website has a windows USB driver, but I don’t see how this is would apply, unless you are using a player on your PC and use the USB out of that.

One thing that I need to get working is the USB in. At the moment I have an SMS 200 into a Chord Qutest and into the DEQX so I assume that's the double conversion that is a big 'no no'. I will also go back to trying to integrate with my mini-DSP and Multi Sub Optimiser for comparison as that will allow me to use the Elektra pre and the Chord DAC. The components in the DEQX are also going to be better than the mini-DSP, though I was surprised when I looked at the inside of the DEQX and saw a vast expanse of nothing! Even at low volumes this sounds excellent. Very impressed.

Update: Massive improvement in bass and detail 😁 Day 1 I did the speaker measurement and correction. A lot of mucking around trying to install the right drivers, get a missing calibration file for my mic, update firmware. Days 2 and 3 I did the room measurements. I found very little difference in measurement doing things like covering coffee tables, moving bass traps, putting absorbers at reflection point (that one surprised me). There is a part where you have to manually calculate timing differences between speakers and subs, and also do a manual calc for something else. The instructions for this could be improved. I got to the end of it, uploaded everything and played a song, with low confidence it would do anything... Happy to say I was very wrong. I've switched back and forth between using subs (my two Rel's don't go as low as the speakers, but there are other reasons for using them). The bass sounds great and what I really notice is the detail and clarity (I suppose that came from cleaning up the bass). Massive improvement!

There is an auto EQ, but the steps before are complicated and require a LOT of mucking around.

Thanks Candyflip

Thanks @almikel . Advice from DEQX was to point mix at the tweeter. My speakers are too heavy to drag anywhere so I put absorbers and blankets on the floor and absorbers against the wall. Took most of the day to get just the speaker and sub measurement and corrections done. If I knew what I was doing though, it’d take an hour.

Yes. Thanks for that, that’s my interpretation too. Blankets is a good tip. I’ll put some absorbers around it too.

@gat474 thanks, I think I’ll be able to get it! It says: “Position the microphone at a height midway between the centers of the midrange (or midwoofer) and tweeter drivers.” It doesn’t mention that you should measure the mains woofer, only the external subwoofer behind it. I’ll give them a buzz to clarify.

I read the manual over the weekend. It’s similar to a self taught course on how to use a new piece of software. The first 70 pages or so are fairly easy to understand. That gets your measurements of the speakers done. Then you have to fix the speakers themselves before the room. One confusing part is that it doesn’t get you to measure the woofer in a 3 way speaker. You do the tweeter and mid (place mic in between), you do the subs, but no speaker woofer. Does anyone know why not? The room measurement seems fairly straight forward. Up to here it is pretty well written. The next parts I found really confusing. They are about sub integration and room eq. First impression is that there is a lot of assumed knowledge (theory and terminology). There is an automated part, but then you are expected to be able to adjust it manually. I’m going to see if I can measure and correct tomorrow. I don’t know why they can’t have an Audessey like system where you put the mic in place, press a button and measures, corrects and uploads the correction itself.

Hi all. A lot of interest here, sorry I haven’t got back to all of you. They are sold pending payment.

Item: Speaker stands Location: Melbourne Price: $60 Item Condition: Good Reason for selling: Surplus Payment Method: Pickup only Extra Info: 74 cm tall with spikes There is some felt dots on one speaker stand. Pictures: